Father Unknwon
by missmargo
Summary: This is A Nathan and Haley version of the movie Unwed Father.... Haley leaves Nathan with their son becuase she can't handle it anymore.
1. Default Chapter

Prologue:  
  
Knock Knock. Haley stood at her best friend Lucas Scott's doorway, in the pouring rain, hoping he would answer the door, not his uncle Keith. Tears were running down her face her makeup was completely ruined.  
  
Lucas stood on the other side of the door, he looked through the peep hole and saw a girl standing on the doorstep, he knew that he knew her, but most of the girls he knew didn't let themselves cry for nothing. 'Haley.' he finally came to realize. 'Oh god it is haley.' As soon as he figured that out he opened the door as fast as he could. She immediately buried her head inside his chest. They didn't say anything, just stood there.  
  
Keith walked toward them. "Luke, hey who was at the door-" Then he noticed the other person. Haley backed off from Lucas. "Haley?" he said shocked. "what's going on? What happened?"  
  
"I just need to take a shower." She replied.  
  
Both guys looked unbelievably confused, but they knew something was wrong, and as long as she was here, the more chance she had of telling them.  
  
Haley went upstairs. Luke followed her. "Here." he said, as he gave her his robe, her clothes were drenched, "I'll get you some sweats after you get out."  
  
"Thanks Luke, and thanks for doing this without question." She replied.  
  
"I want to know, but you are major mess and I want to help you out." He replied.  
  
"I just need to wash it off of me." She replied, then locked the door behind her in the washroom.  
  
'What is that supposed to mean' Lucas thought.  
  
"I called her mom, told her everything we know, she can stay here the night if she wants to." Keith said as Lucas came downstairs.  
  
"Thanks Keith, I'll tell you what I know once she talks to me. All I know now is that she wants to 'wash it off of her' but I have no idea what it is."  
  
"I think this might be bigger than we are taking it, she might have had something really terrible happen to her." Keith said worried.  
  
"Yeah that's what I'm scared of." He replied.  
  
"Are you two done talking about me?" Haley said as she walked down the stairs in the robe.  
  
"Sorry, oh Hales, the sweats and t-shirt are right there." He pointed to the couch.  
  
"Thanks." She replied.  
  
After she came back downstairs she sat down on the couch with Lucas. "I know you don't want me to pry, but what happened Haley, it might be worse than you think."  
  
"I just needed to wash him off of me."  
  
"Now it's him, not it?" He pried.  
  
"Yes. Him." She said, "but give me some time then I'll talk to you."  
  
"Yeah OK, I'm gonna go get us some popcorn, and we will curl up and watch movies like we always used to." He said.  
  
Keith who had heard the conversation pulled Lucas aside. "I don't mean to sound mean, but are you stupid Luke?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I heard, she said 'HIM'."  
  
"OK Keith, are you insane?"  
  
"Lucas, who is Haley dating?" Keith said with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
His eyes widened. "Crap." He exclaimed then walked out to Haley.  
  
"Did Nathan hurt you?" He asked her.  
  
"Lucas I don't want to talk about it." She replied coldly.  
  
"What did he do?" He asked sincerely.  
  
"He was using me as a way to get to you, at first when I first became his tutor I suspected it, but then he became different around me, he became sweet. Then he, he, he."  
  
"He used you for sex?"  
  
She burst in tears. He hugged her, but in his mind thoughts of 'I'm going to kill him,' and 'How can I kill him with the most pain' ran through his head.  
  
"But don't do anything OK Lucas, I have to deal with this myself." She said.  
  
"Haley, this is what best friends are for, to be there for each other and protect each other." Lucas replied.  
  
"Yeah but I can't just let him get away with it." Lucas said.  
  
"Until he brings you into it, this is my business. OK? But he most likely will bring you into it so you won't need to wait long." Haley said hopefully.  
  
Nathan Scott sat on his bed at home, he heard his parents arguing downstairs, but everything had been a blur, he never meant to hurt Haley, he loved Haley, but it wasn't fair, why had Tim and the guys decided to hide out and tape everything, he definitely would have killed them if he knew. But he couldn't get her back now, now his stupid parties and friends had ruined everything he had with her.  
  
"Nathan?" It was his mom.  
  
"Hey Mom." He replied.  
  
"What's wrong, I know something is wrong when you came home today you weren't yourself, that's what me and your dad were arguing about he thinks I should have left him alone without even trying to get a story out of you." She looked at his face and knew he was torn up inside. "Do you want to talk?"  
  
"Not right now, maybe later." He said.  
  
"OK," she gave him a kiss on the forehead and left him to himself.  
  
Chapter 1 - (exactly one year later)  
  
"Of all of my daughters Haley, why was it that I never figured you to be the one to give me this much grief. None of your other sisters were this messed up during their senior year of high school. How could you get yourself pregnant."  
  
"Mom, I know, I told you I was sorry, I couldn't help it, what do you want me to do move out?" She said worried. "I know he is always crying and I can't get him settled but Ryan is my son, what do you want me to do?"  
  
"I don't want you to leave, but I can't handle things like this, why can't you get the father to help out?"  
  
"He wanted me to get rid of the baby, he won't do a thing." haley replied too loud because baby Ryan woke up. "Sorry." She said to her mom, but she had already walked out.  
  
Haley calmed her little boy down, he was three months old, for the last year Nathan had not done anything for her, or after the baby was born, him either. She came up with an idea, she knew it would have to be well planned, but she couldn't do this anymore.  
  
Haley had it all planned, she called a cab after her parents had gone to bed. She drove with Ryan to Nathan's house. She looked up to his window, she saw his shadow doing chin ups. "Please stay here," She said the the cab driver.  
  
"Yes Ma'am." he replied.  
  
She got out, took Ryan and all his belongings and walked up to the door. She rang the doorbell, looked up at his window again, his shadow was gone, and a few seconds later it appeared through the frosted style window next to her.  
  
"Haley?" He said shocked. "what are you doing here, and with it."  
  
"Him Nathan, Him! Ryan! Him!" She said loudly. "I have taken care of him for a year now, my life can't possibly be called a life for this last year. It's your turn, he is your child too. I can't do this alone. God Nathan."  
  
"I told you to get rid of it, I don't want a baby."  
  
"You think I freaking did Nathan? I didn't. girls don't just choose if they are parents, so here, it is your turn." She handed him Ryan's carrier and set down all of the baby's things, then she ran for the cab.  
  
Nathan knew what she was doing he carefully set down the baby and ran after her, but when he got there, the cab was gone.  
  
"Nathan what is going on?" His mom asked when her and his dad came to the door. She looked down at the baby. "Explain."  
  
"Haley left him, she says he is mine, she just left." he said.  
  
"What? she just left, isn't that illegal or something, just leaving the baby?" Dan yelled angrily.  
  
"Not if he is the father." Deb said unhappily at her husband because he had made the baby fuss. She picked him up and rocked him, Ryan almost immediately became quiet. "Dan go into the basement and get Nathan's old cradle."  
  
"We aren't letting that baby stay here are we?" he said.  
  
"Yes, this is Nathan's son-"  
  
"It could be his son, how do we know that girl wasn't with other guys, we should get a paternity test, and if it isn't his child he doesn't have to take care of it, and if it is his child, he can put it up for adoption."  
  
"Well whatever gets decided as the solution won't be done tonight, get the cradle" She commanded. "Nathan, I'm going to keep him in my room tonight, you don't know the first thing about babies, if he has a problem, your father can sleep in one of the spare rooms." She said after Dan walked away.  
  
"OK mom." He said, still confused, but glad his mom was helping. "I can go to a clinic tomorrow."  
  
"Whatever you choose." She replied then she walked inside. Nathan did the same after grabbing Ryan's things.  
  
"OH, and what is his name?" Deb asked.  
  
"She said Ryan, his birth certificate is here, yeah, Ryan James." He said reading the paper. "Oh, look, father unknown." He said when he read it, 'how could Haley do this to me, what am I going to do?' he thought. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 -  
  
"Lucas." Haley said in her cell from the cab.  
  
"Hey, whats up?"  
  
"I'm leaving. I am leaving Tree Hill for good, I can't take it anymore I'm going." She said.  
  
"You can't everyone you know is here, Ryan needs to grow up around people he knows and loves."  
  
"Well he will Nathan has him."  
  
"What? He is going to take care of Ryan, you can't do that, he will be a terrible father, even if he wants to be in Ryan's life now." Lucas said.  
  
"Well he doesn't. I took care of Ryan for the last year from when I got pregnant, I need to graduate, I haven't even finished my senior year, I need to graduate I can't do this right now."  
  
"Are you coming back?"  
  
"No, not now not ever. I can't Lucas. I can't have any connection with this town. Or you."  
  
"What? no Haley, I will still have your cell number, so will Nathan, you know it isn't possible for you to run." He said worried.  
  
"Yes, it is Lucas, I'm leaving." She said, "Bye." She hung up the phone, then threw it out the window, it broke on impact.  
  
"Um Ma'am, that's an offense." The cab driver said.  
  
"I know, but I have to leave, can you drive me to the bus station?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thank you sir." And she drove to the bus station.  
  
She got a ticket to Chicago, she had just picked a city, and chose it, she figured she could start a new life there.  
  
She got on the train, sat down pulled her head phones over her ears, and fell asleep almost instantly, she hadn't had a decent sleep in three months.  
  
"Deb, this is Nathan's problem not yours why can't he sleep in his room." Dan yelled at three in the morning.  
  
"He doesn't know anything about taking care of a baby, I'll help him out after tonight." She replied.  
  
"Well he should be the one up at three o'clock in the morning, not us, we had our kid, we don't need more."  
  
"I had my kid, you had kids, but you don't know a thing about raising them. I'll take him downstairs and you can get your sleep." She said as she stormed out of the room.  
  
She got downstairs and warmed some milk for him. "Hey mom." Nathan said sleepily. "Dad woke me up with his yelling he's right, I need to do this for myself." He took baby Ryan from his moms arms. "I almost can't believe all of this." He said. "Dad keeps saying it might not be mine but i don't know at all."  
  
"Hey, Nathan, this is really big, don't doubt it, but we should make sure, but we should also try to find Haley."  
  
"Yeah." He replied. He took the warm bottle from his mom, and awkwardly fed the baby.  
  
Deb watched her son, she felt so bad for the position he was in but she also knew that he had gotten himself into it, and he had left Haley and not helped at all. He was finished feeding him.  
  
"I'll go put him to bed." He said quietly. "I'll slip into your room, unless you want me to move the cradle."  
  
"No it's OK." She took the baby and went upstairs.  
  
Nathan, after a few minutes of thinking did the same.  
  
Nathan woke the next morning hoping it was all a dream. but then he heard the baby fussing in the next room. He took a deep breath then went to help his mom.  
  
He went into the room expecting to see his mom trying to calm the infant, but he saw his dad sitting on the bed letting him cry. "What are you doing?" He asked him.  
  
"Nothing. Ignoring that bastard kid." He said. "do you know what this will do to your life Nathan?"  
  
"Stray it away from you I hope." He said, grabbed his son carefully and took him out of the room. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 -  
  
Haley arrived in Chicago the next morning, she wasn't tried at all, it was new feeling she loved. She knew the first things she had to do were go to an education place and register. She did that first, avoiding trying to find a place, but when she got there she was overjoyed to find out she had enough credits to graduate, the lady at the high school even called the community college in the area and because of her grades, she was accepted. Next she had to find somewhere to stay, even if she had to stay at a church for the next few nights.  
  
Luckily she didn't. She was walking around a pretty nice neighborhood near the college when in front of her, a little boy, no older than two, who shouldn't have strayed that far away from his parentrs tripped over the curb. He immediately began to bawl, she looked for any parents, but fell for the kid immediately so she went to help him.  
  
"Hey sweetie you OK?" She asked him as she helped him up. "Oh looks like you got an owwie. Let me see I might have a bandaid for you." She looked in her purse, first pulled out some vaseline she carried with her originally for Ryan, but she kept it with her anyway, put it on the scrape and pulled out a bandiad, it was even blue. The little boy liked it.  
  
"Henry." A lady called as she ran really fast toward them. "Oh thank you miss, I am having such a hard time keeping an eye on both of them." She said nodding toward a little girl about five.  
  
Haley noticed that this girl was barely older than her, she was maybe twenty two if even that. "Yeah no problem he tripped so I helped him up, I put some vaseline on the scrape, but it might still have something in it, I'd probably wash it out."  
  
"Do you have kids?" The lady asked casually think Haley was so young.  
  
"I used to." She said. The lady thought that she had lost her children in a tragedy, so she let it go. "I haven't seen you around before, you looking for an address?"  
  
"43 Edworthy Street, I need a place." Haley said.  
  
"Well you're in luck that is my house you want to downstairs suite?"  
  
"Hey, wow what a conincidence."  
  
"Yeah and even without questioning you I know you are the kind of person I want staying there, I want to feel safe with the kids, it just being us, I wanted a woman with us, so if you can offer the money, then I can give you a place."  
  
"I don't have the full five hundred, I only have four fifty, I needed the rest for school." She said. "but I promise as soon as I get a job I will pay you it with interest." Haley said hopefully.  
  
"Well you're lucky I like you, that will do." She said happily. "I'm Helen by the way, my son is heenry as you probably heard, and this is Hilary."  
  
"Hi I'm Haley."  
  
"Oh another H in teh house, none of us will manage." Helen laughed.  
  
They went back to her house Haley loved the suite it was really nice. She was happy she was finally starting her new happy life.  
  
Nathan on the other hand was far from happy, he was overwhelmed with everything, university was hard from the start, now he had to do it with a baby, it was really hard, thank god for his mother.  
  
He got home one friday two weeks after he had originally gotten Ryan. His mom was sitting at the table she looked upset, his dad was standing by the counter, he looked determined, Nathan was worried.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked.  
  
"Your mother and I were talking-"  
  
"Don't you dare bring me into this Dan, this is all you." Deb cut him off.  
  
"Fine, I was thinking and I decided that having a baby here is not what we need right now."  
  
"What do you want me to do?" Nathan said worried, "I can't just get rid of him." Not sure if he meant it as he didn't want to or he just couldn't.  
  
"Well that's the problem, we have decided that you will have to move out." Dan said, Nathan was horrified. "I will pay for everything for you, you won't need to pay a thing, just focus on school. That's what you need, I've found some places that are child friendly and are nice I will let you choose what you want, but you can't stay here anymore."  
  
"I don't want your money dad, I don't want anything from you, I will find a place myself, and you can go screw yourself."  
  
"Nathan! You have to think of Ryan, you need money, you can't possibly work through school, raising him and making money you can't." Deb said.  
  
"People have done it before, in fact Karen did it before, I can do it too." He said that mainly to get his dad even more angry. "I won't take handouts, I'm better than that. I will leave immediately after I find a place.  
  
He began to search for places that night, with Ryan on his knee rocking him, he searched through the paper. Nathan figured he could use all the money people had given him over the years, before he had no reason to spend it since he had gotten everything from his family, he calculated some numbers and found out that if he got this one place, he could use the money he had in his savings for over a year before he really needed to worry about money, so for the next little while he coulkd work short hours.  
  
He called the guy who owned the place, it was in pretty small but it was in good shape, and cheap. The guy even offered to sell it to him. "How much?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Not much." he said.  
  
"How much, I'm limited." Nathan asked.  
  
"Twenty five thousand." The man said.  
  
Nathan knew this would be better, but at the same time, he only had ten thousand. which in all fairness was really good for a guy who had never worked a day in his life.  
  
He went to see his mom. "hey mom, OK I know that I said I wouldn't take his money, but this one guy would sell me a house for twenty five grand, but I only have ten grand from birthdays and christmas over the years."  
  
"Don't even ask, I will help, it will be my money, not your fathers, my dad gave me twenty five thousand the day I got married and I've never spent it, he said it was for me and you, and I'm going to give it all to you, as a gift from me and my dad of course so you won't be paying it back, and you can use the extra to keep up with bills. And if you ever need money, come to me."  
  
"Thanks mom. I apprechiate it. From both of us even though he doesn;t understand." Nathan said.  
  
He went back to his room, and called the guy back.  
  
"Great, when can you move in?"  
  
"As soon as you want me to." Nathan said.  
  
"Great, see you tomorrow for finalizations, and if you want to, go ahead, move in tomorrow." The man said.  
  
'This is what I've been reduced to,' Nathan thought as he stripped down to his boxers for bed. 'Buying my own house with my moms money for my baby and me, what the hell happened to my life. This isn't me, I want everything I had back.' He slipped into bed and was near tears before he got to sleep, but he wouldn't let himself cry, he wasn't weak, he could show his dad. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 -  
  
Haley sat in her new suite, it was beautiful, there was only one problem, it reminded her of Nathan's bedroom. 'Ha,' she thought, 'I wonder how he is enjoying parenthood.' but this thought made her hurt inside, she loved her little boy, but she didn't have anything for him, Nathan, he had rich parents and he could be a good guy, he would be a great dad, if he wanted to be.  
  
She was tired, so she figured she would go to sleep.  
  
She layed down and immediately fell asleep.  
  
Dream:  
  
"Mommy." said a little boy about five sitting on a tire swing at the park. "come push me come push me."  
  
"Why doesn't Daddy?" She asked, she was comfortable laying on the picnic blanket.  
  
"Because Daddy just ran around with him for the last half hour, it is mommy's turn."  
  
"Alright Nathan I'll do it, but only because I love you." She gave him a kiss then stood up.  
  
"I love you too Haley."  
  
"Mommy come on."  
  
"Hold on Ryan I'll be right there." She got up and went to the tire swing.  
  
She began to push the little boy, he was having a blast, but he accidently let go of the rope. He fell to the ground and began to cry.  
  
Haley and Nathan ran to him as fast as they could.  
  
"It's OK bud." Nathan said, "Why don't we eat lunch for now, then we can have fun afterward."  
  
Nathan and Ryan stood up haley tried to, she couldn't seem to get up.  
  
"Come on mommy." Ryan said happily. She still couldn't move.  
  
"Come on sweetheart." Nathan said confused.  
  
She tried to reach to them, she still couldn't move, both of them looked upset. Nathan grabbed his son's hand and they turned around. "It's OK bud, I will be there for you."  
  
"Wait! Wait!" haley tried to scream, but no words came up.  
  
End Dream.  
  
She woke up sweating and breathing heavy. 'That was weird' She thought. 'I don't still love im do I do I?' 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 -  
  
Nathan sat in his room, this was the first time Ryan had been quiet for weeks. He was so tired but he knew that the moment he left view of Ryan before he fell asleep he would burst out crying. He couldn't help it. He let his head nod and he fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Seconds later he woke up, he had fell down onto his side, cause his son to start crying loudly again.  
  
'What do I do.' He thought, he didn't know what to do, or who to call. His mom was at worked, she worked for Karen full time now, and he didn't want to bother her, his dad, well he was definetly not the one to call for child advice, Lucas loved Haley, but didn't know anything about having a kid. Jake, he would know what to do.  
  
"Hello." Said a sleepy Jake on the phone. Which wasn't surprising becasue it was eleven o'clock.  
  
"Hi, it's Nathan."  
  
"Why are you calling me now, having a toddler is not easy you know, she just barely got to sleep now. And we have practise tomorrow." Jake also played for Duke, he was in the school with an acedemic scolarship, and made the team.  
  
"I know and I'm sorry but you are the only one who can help me." Nathan said hopelessly.  
  
"What are you talking about, oh never mind go ahead."  
  
"He won't stop crying, he has not let me get any sleep for almost three weeks. Everytime he is quiet I have to be right next to him, and if I get out of his sight at all he starts sceaming again."  
  
"I'm confused Nathan, who?"  
  
"Ryan." He answered.  
  
"Ryan?" Jake was tired and confused.  
  
"My son." Nathan said, it just hit him that very few people knew about Haley being pregnant in the first place, little own that she left the baby with him.  
  
"Wait, what you have a son?" Jake was wide awake now. "That actually explains Haley's absence for the last half of our senior year. Most people just thought that she had graduated early. This changes things."  
  
"Yeah, but please help me." Nathan pleaded.  
  
"OK, he just wants your attention, just be there around him."  
  
"But how do I sleep if he won't let me."  
  
"Here, I remember having to do this with Jenny when she was a couple months, ok, go to the couch, not your bed, the couch because you won't roll as much. Let him lay on your chest he will fall asleep because he will be warm and it is almost like being rocked when you breathe. Oh but do you roll much in your sleep because you still could hurt him if you do."  
  
"Well no not really I don't roll, you think it will work." Nathan asked hopefully.  
  
"it most likely will. And he will get the sleep he needs too." Jake said. "Can I go to sleep now?"  
  
"Yeah thanks you are a life saver." Nathan was very hopeful.  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye." He hung up the phone and picked up Ryan again. "hey bud. We are going to sleep now. Hear that We.  
  
He layed down on the couch with Ryan an top of him. He fell asleep immediately, and he figured since he wasn't awoken for seven hours that Ryan had fallen asleep too.  
  
When he did wake up, he realized that it wasn't even Ryan who woke him up, it was the ring of his cell phone.  
  
"Hello?" Nathan whispered, he didn't want to move the finally quiet baby.  
  
"Hi Nathan it's Luke. I know I am probably not a person you want to talk to right now, but I wanted to ask if things are OK. I know you might not want my help, but she just left and I know that, so I wanted to offer my help in any way."  
  
"I actually could use help. Last night I had the first decent sleep in three weeks. Jake helped me out. I could use some help with Basketball. But then again you can't really help with that since you also go to Duke, and play for them too. I will call you though if I need help, and I would like it if you ever got any information from Haley you could tell me?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"Hasn't she been emailing you?" Lucas asked. "She told me she was."  
  
"I haven't had the chance to. But I'm not sure if she would she wanted to leave she chose to leave. Besides, when I left my parents house I don't have a computer anymore"  
  
"Nathan, you really didn't give her much other choices. You embarrassed her in front of a bunch of friends of yours and then wouldn't help her with your own child."  
  
"I didn't know that those guys were going to do that, at first I just wanted tog et back at you, but I fell in love with Haley, and when she told me about the baby, she also told me that she didn't think I could be a good father and that she hated me."  
  
"She loves you Nathan, she still does and she loves that baby, she just doesn't think she can give him anything, and you, being rich and having the education, she thought you could do it. She left only because she didn't want her little boy to have nothing. She didn't even finish high school Nathan, she wanted to do that, then go to unversity and be able to be a good parent, don't you understand that?"  
  
"Yeah, but this is hard, now I have to balance school basketball and Ryan, don't get me wrong, since I've had the chance to be a father it is fine, hard but fine, but she could have jsut come to me earlier I would have helped her, she just didn't realize how I felt." Ryan began to stir. "Luke I'm going to go, he is waking up and I need to get ready for school and oh crap, we have practise in like twenty minutes. I forgot, sht."  
  
"Hey I'll tell coach why you are late, just get ready for school don't rush it, it will be OK, just go as fast as you can without rushing."  
  
"That made no sense, I'll be there for seven for sure, talk to you then." Nathan hung up the phone, he picked up Ryan, who still was asleep. He got ready for school, it was six fifteen, Ryan was still sleeping. He then realized that the school nursery wasn't open until seven. He had to take him to practise.  
  
She got Ryan's seat all hooked into the car and took off.  
  
He got there five minutes late but he still had to change. he saw his coach who was mad, but Lucas had talked to him and he was OK with it considering situations. "You brought him?" He asked.  
  
"I know I know, I'll put him up in the seats I can't take him to the nursery until seven." Nathan said as he got changed as fast as he could.  
  
"Hey son, take your time. You have your shirt on backwards." Nathan looked down, he did too. "And you can keep him by the bench."  
  
"Thanks." Nathan said.  
  
He was on the court two minutes later. Lucas like he was sorry for him, all the other guys, except Jake looked shocked. The girl cheerleaders who were having a meeting in the stands thought he was adorable.  
  
Nathan set him down and his coach subded another guy off.  
  
The practise went great until about six forty five when the tech group were working the buzzer, and it went off really loud and wouldn't stop. This woke Ryan up instantly. Nathan looked to the coach who let him go calm him down.  
  
The buzzer continued, the tech guys couldn't get it to turn off. Nathan stepped out of the gym. He tryed everything to get him to calm down. Lucas came out in a few minutes, he had been taken out for a while too. "He is acting really weird." Nathan said. "He slept soundly last night, the first time ever, and now he won't calm down from anything."  
  
Lucas motioned to hold him. Nathan passed him to his brother. "What happened?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Huh?" Nathan asked.  
  
"His arm, it looks weird and sorta twisted." Lucas said.  
  
"What?" Nathan asked frantic. He looked at Ryan left arm. It was bend a bit out of shape. "Oh crap, I'm going to the hospital. I can't believe I didn't see it. Tell coach where I am."  
  
"Like hell." Lucas said. "I'm going."  
  
"It's OK he'll be fine I'll take Ryan the hospital, I don't want you getting in trouble, he's my son and the coach will give me a break." he turned to run down the hall.  
  
Lucas grabed his arm before he went anywhere. "He's my nephew, I'm going."  
  
They went out. They got to the car, where they noticed that they forgot to bring his seat for the car. Lucas puleld out his phone and called the coaches cell. "Hey coach it's Lucas," pause "I know, but we think Ryan's arm is broken can you send one of the guys out with his stuff, we need to car seat."  
  
A few minutes later Jake arrived. "I told him I was going with you. Is he OK?"  
  
"He won't stop crying." Nathan said. They put him in the car and drove to the hospital, surprisingly, not getting a ticket on the way. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 -  
  
The three boys ran as fast as they could into the emergency room. It was packed, this made Nathan even more worried.  
  
"May I help you?" The lady asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's my son, he has been acting strange lately and now we noticed that his arm is bent in a weird way. I think it might be broken." He was frantic.  
  
"OK, fill out these forms, and the doctor wil see him soon. But I will say that we have a few things that are priority and we need to deal with them sooner."  
  
"Alright." Nathan said unhappily.  
  
They sat down, Ryan still hadn't calmed down, his crying was very annoying to most of the other people were giving him 'why can't he take care of his kid' looks.  
  
"Here Nathan, I'll take him outside while you fill out these things." Lucas said, Nathan nodded.  
  
He wrote down all the things he could with his birth certificate and other things haley had given him.  
  
Lucas came in a little while later. Ryan had finally fallen asleep.  
  
"Lucas, a lot of these things can't be answered. And, now he isn't convered by Haley's insurance unless I can have the number. I don't know what to do. I can't get ahold of her."  
  
"I'll try through school, wherever her files were transfered to, and i'll send her major emails through my phone, don't worry Nathan we will get ahold of her."  
  
Lucas went outside, he tried everything, but he couldn't get ahold of Haley.  
  
They had to sit in the ER for hours, every time they thought they would be soon, a person who was in critical condition would come in.  
  
They were finally in at seven that evening. They had been there alomst twelve hours.  
  
"So what is it Mr. James I presume?" He said to Nathan.  
  
"No my name is Scott, Nathan Scott." He said looking down at Ryan letting him curl his tiny hand around Nathan's finger.  
  
The doctor eyed him in a weird way but then check Ryan's arm.  
  
They had him in x-rays. Afterward he turned to Nathan. "Yes it is broken, do you know how it could have happened?"  
  
"I have no idea unless something happened at daycare." Nathan replied.  
  
"OK."  
  
The doctor put a cast on him then he talked to the nurse, then he asked Nathan to stick around, he was confused, but he stayed just in case Ryan needed to be here.  
  
A police officer arrived half an hour later. The doctor and him talked then he came in to see Nathan who was sitting with a sleeping Ryan.  
  
"Son," The cop said. "I need for you to explain your relation to this child."  
  
"he is my son, why do you want to know?"  
  
"Do you have proof, a birth certificate, or anything?"  
  
"No I don't, his mother never put me on the birth cetificate, then she left the baby at my house a few weeks ago. He is mine I swear."  
  
"Son we don't doubt you, this has happened before, but we do think that there is something wrong in your situation, A few weeks ago a young baby about his age went missing."  
  
"I heard about that, but I don't know anything about that I Promise."  
  
"Son I want to believe you but situations are suspicious. We will need to take your son from you now. We will do a paternity test and if the child comes up as yours, then we will return him to you."  
  
"No! You can't! He's my son." Nathan was furious. The police officer tried to calm him down.  
  
"Son son, don't worry we will have him back to you in a few days."  
  
The next few days were hell for Nathan. He had been arrested and taken to the station when he had refused to let the cops take Ryan away from him. Lucas had to bail him out. The couple who had lost their baby told athorities that Ryan was their baby. Nathan wanted to die, he was losing his baby. No one had come to him to do the paternity test.  
  
One day when he was at home after the family had claimed the baby was theirs the cops came to Nathan's house.  
  
"Nathan Scott, you are under the arrest for the kidnapping of James Carlson. You have the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot provide one yourself, one will be provided to you."  
  
"what the hell?" Nathan yelled. "That is my son. That family is lieing. No one has come to take a paternity test."  
  
He decided to give up, he couldn't keep yelling it wasn't doing anything for him.  
  
Haley on the other hand didn't know anything about what was going on. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 -  
  
"Hey Haley, you're home early." Helen said to Haley as she walked into the room.  
  
"Hey, yeah my last class was interupted halfway through it so he let us all go home." Haley said happily.  
  
"Oh, and I was doing my laundry earlier and your phone rang, I answered it, you were given that job down at the restaurant, Antonio's or something like that."  
  
"Really? Yes! This is so great, I will be able to pay you back really soon."  
  
"Oh, and the school also called earlier today. a guy who claimed to know you from high school was trying to call you but the school witheld any personal information about you."  
  
Haley looked up, she was worried now. It scared her to know that Nathan, most likely, was that close to finding her. But she also knew that the school wouldn't give any information away. "Thanks Helen. I'll see you guys later I have some work to take care of."  
  
"Oh right, your magazine subscriptions came today, they are on the counter."  
  
"Thanks." Haley had grown accustomed to life here with Helen, she was like a big sister to her, they talked about a lot of things, but Haley had still refused to give away any information about why she had left Tree Hill and what had really happened with her baby.  
  
She grabbed the mail. She went to her room, she really didn't feel like doing her schoolwork so she deicded to read the magazine.  
  
She flipped to the table of contents. 'Twenty Teens To Watch For.' Why not.  
  
She looked to this one page, a seventeen year old guy who had laready started his own business, boring, a girl who had been trying to save the environment for her entire life, boring, then, to Haley's surprise the next Heading was 'b-ball bros.'  
  
She starred in amazement at Lucas and Nathan. She read the article.  
  
'These two teens, have a lot in common, not only do they share the same dad, but they share the same feelings about the idssue that tehy almost can't stand each other. But most of all is they both are amazing basketball players who both play for Duke unviersity on Scolarship. We talked to these boys after a win against one of their rival teams, Yale. And even though their game wouldn't show it, they really can't get along.'  
  
This is old thought Haley This game was almost two months ago. She went back to the magazine.  
  
Me: So Lucas, why is it that you think the two of you don't get along that well?"  
  
Lucas: We never really have, I guess it is just that we really had too much in common for us to ever get along.  
  
Me: Nathan do you agree?  
  
Nathan: Well yeah, we are a lot alike and that really makes us not like each other so much.  
  
Me: You never would know it, the two of you play amazing together.  
  
L: Playing is different, when you play it is completely about the game, not the stuff that goes on when you step off the court.  
  
Me: Nathan?  
  
N: No he's right, basketball is like a whole new world we have to be in, if you aren't in the right state of mind to play you might as well not play.  
  
Me: You know, for brothers who don't get along, you really think the same. But anyway, what do you boys hope to do with your lives. Other than the obvios basketball?  
  
N: I really don't know yet, I don't have any other things right now to tie me down so I don't think that that really is a problem, I'll probably go wherever I can.  
  
L: (after giving Nathan a weird look) No Comment.  
  
Me: OK, well this just got awkward, so lets see, what is your favorite thing about the other brotehr?  
  
N: Well Luke is pretty trustworthy, he has this thing about being there if you need him.  
  
L: At least one of us is. (absolutely no sign of humor in that statement). But yeah Nathan is just pretty much all around likeable, until he does something stupid.  
  
Me: OK, well yeah, we've moved from awkwaard to really awkward, so I think I will have to wrap this up, good luck on your season and have a great year. I expect to hear about you two sometime soon. But don't let it be on the front of a paper saying that you killed each other.'  
  
Haley was amazed, Lucas did that for her in front of tons of people who would be reading it. Too bad Nathan wasn't such a jerk about it all. She really didn't know what to think about it all but she had a million thoughts running through her head. Was it really best to leave Ryan with the guy who didn't want him more than anything? Should she try to call Luke Why couldn't she get this guy out of her head, no matter how much of a jerk he had been  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
Nathan sat in his jail cell, he had been visited several times by a lawyer provided for him, Lucas had come to see him a few times, Jake too, and his mom had come once.  
  
He was sceduled for court the next day. And still no one had done the paternity test.  
  
"All rise, the honorable judge Harrison." Nathan stood up.  
  
The plaintiff did his opening statement accusing Nathan of kidnapping Ryan from two 'poor innocent people who had lost their son'  
  
The trial had gone like a blur to Nathan for the most part, he watched as a young lady, claiming to be Ryan's or James' mother went to the stand and cried her eyes out claiming that the weeks Nathan had the her baby were the worst of her life.  
  
Finally they called Nathan to the stand. His lawyer asked questions they had gone over, and after his lawyer made the point that they never had a paternity test done it was time for the other lawyer.  
  
"Mr. Scott, this baby here," He showed a picture of Ryan "Who's child is he?"  
  
"Mine, obviosly." Nathan said showing no emotion  
  
"Can you prove that?" The lawyer asked.  
  
"Do a fcking paternity test and see." Nathan said still with no emotion.  
  
"Keep the language civil." The judge ordered.  
  
The Lawyer flipped to a new slide. "This is the child in question's birth cerificate?"  
  
"Yes that is Ryan's birth certificate." Nathan replied.  
  
"Yes the name does say Ryan, but is this Ryan really this child."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why is it, that if he is your son, that your name isn't on this certificate?"  
  
"Because when he was born I was not with the mother."  
  
"Ah yes, this Haley James, if she is the mother, why is it that she can't be found anywhere, or does she not exist at all."  
  
"She left Ryan with me four weeks ago, then disappeared." Nathan said. He hated talking about Haley like she was some evil girl, he still loved her after all.  
  
"Yes, and in that time he managed to break his arm. Would you really say you are a fit father?"  
  
Nathan's lawyer stood up. "That is not the issue here, today we are here to find out the results of who is the child's real parents."  
  
The judge nodded in agreement. Nathan was asked a bunch more questions, then he was asked to step down.  
  
Nathan's lawyer called Lucas to the stand, who was also there in Nathan defense, he made the point that he knew Haley and that Nathan was the father of Ryan. He then was asked very few questions by the other lawyer because he really didn't know what to ask Lucas in the first place.  
  
The jury was given all the information and after three hours they had come to a verdict.  
  
"In the case of Mr. and Mrs. Carlson versus Nathan Scott, the jury finds the results inconclusive." He paused. "they request a paternity test done to prove the case." He paused again. "We will have one done, Mr. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson, we need to get samples of your DNA, as well as the child.  
  
Nathan was put back into jail that night he couldn't wait for the next morning when he knew he would have his son back.  
  
He sat in court the next day. The results were in. the judge held the paper. "We have our verdict. In the case of Nathan Scott versus Mr. And Mrs. Carlson, the the child is in fact Ryan James, Nathan Scott is the father of him."  
  
Nathan never felt more happy in his life, not even basketball gave him a feeling like this. The couple at the other table were angry, the woman had burst into tears. She walked up to Nathan and slapped him across the face. Nathan was a little taken back but he looked the woman in the eye as she said. "You stole my son from me, he is my child. You rigged the test."  
  
"Sorry ma'am, but DNA doesn't lie." Two police officers came to her and confronted her, but when asked Nathan said he wouldn't be pressing charges. "Nothing right now could make me feel bad. Now if you excuse me. I want to go see my son."  
  
He came out of the court room and sitting on a bench in the hallway was a smiling Lucas with Ryan sitting all bubbley in his lap. "Here you go dad." Lucas said as he smiled and handed Ryan to Nathan. Nathan let tears fill up in his eyes, he had what he wanted.  
  
That night Nathan stood leaning over Ryan's crib hours after he had gone to sleep. It was so peaceful, he had never thought that the baby that he most desperately tried to deny months ago was now by far the most important thing in his life. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 -  
  
Haley sat in her room. It had been eight months since Haley had seen Nathan or Ryan. Ryan's first birhtday was soon and more than anything she missed them. She wished that she could go back, over ten times since she had left she had gotten to the bus station and then realized that she couldn't give Ryan anything and she wasn't a good mother for leaving him.  
  
Now more than anything she wanted to go back, she missed everything about Tree Hill, high school, her job at Karen's, Peyton, even Brooke, Lucas, but most of all Nathan and Ryan.  
  
She had emailed them but never had he replied. She knew she wasn't welcome there, she should have gone back the first time she had considered it, and maybe now she could have a chance to be a mom again. But she had gotten scared to go back, and now she couldn't it was too late, she wanted to more than anything, but now she knew that Nathan wouldn't want her to come back, he would be happy now and now she would be just another problem for him.  
  
Boy was she wrong.  
  
Nathan loved Ryan, but he had such a hard time living his life. he always felt like he was neglecting Ryan to do basketball or school, but he also knew if he neglected those he would end up out of school and He wouldn't have anything for Ryan in the future.  
  
There wasn't a day of his life that he didn't wish he had Haley to help him out. he still loved her, he knew that if she hadn't given Ryan to him in the first place he would have the perfect college life, doing the parties, having all the girls living the charmed life, but he was much better off this way, so what if he missed out on the so called 'college experience' he loved having Ryan. He also knew he would survive if Lucas wasn't there for him. Between the two of them and daycare they made sure he wasn't neglected, he deserved better than that.  
  
A few months back, when Ryan was six months Lucas had moved in with the two of them, it seemed weird to all people around them who didn't know them well enough. Two guys who lived together and raised a baby together, everyone thought they were gay, until they found out they were brothers. The situation worked well enough for them, Nathan was so greatful to Lucas, he was like a second father to Ryan, he was always there when Nathan couldn't be.  
  
"Hey kiddo." Nathan said when he picked up Ryan from daycare after school one day. "We have to go to practise now." Ryan had become a normal visitor for team practises, daycare closed before the end of practise and didn't open until after the beginning of it. All the guys had no problem with him being there, they all thought he was a great kid and he was quiet enough to not disturb the practise.  
  
After a hard practise Nathan brought Ryan home, he slept the whole way and Nathan brought him quietly into the house, Lucas was home and sitting on the couch finishing his schoolwork.  
  
"Hey what-" He cut himslef off seeing Ryan asleep.  
  
"Sorry, he fell asleep and I didn't want to wake him." Nathan said.  
  
"No problem." Lucas replied. "I'll see to him if he wakes up, I know you have a ton of work."  
  
"Yeah, thanks. I do."  
  
"Yeah I know, I have all the same stuff." Lucas laughed.  
  
The phone rang just then, both guys dove for it in case it would wake up Ryan. Nathan was closer.  
  
"Hello?" he paused "Hello? Hello?" he sighed. "Whoever this is stop calling."  
  
"Again?" Lucas asked as he hung up the phone. "We have been getting calls like that all week."  
  
"Yeah, soon I'll have to call the phone company." Nathan said. "But who cares I need to finish this work."  
  
He went to his homework he had it done by ten o'clock. he was tired. "I'm going to bed." he said. "I am so tired."  
  
"I know, I am always falling asleep in class." Lucas replied.  
  
"Yeah that's because class is boring, but yeah goodnight." Nathan laughed.  
  
"Yeah." Just that moment they heard Ryan crying from the next room.  
  
"I'll get him, I need him to get to sleep before I can anyway." Nathan said as Lucas stood up.  
  
"OK, night." Lucas replied.  
  
He went to his room Nathan went to his and Ryan's room. Ryan was lying in his crib crying.  
  
"Whats wrong now bud?" Nathan asked as he picked up Ryan. "You're getting so big now."  
  
he continued crying. he really was getting big. "You need to shrink, I am so tired everyday, and now I can barely hold you anymore when my arms hurt from practise."  
  
he still cried.  
  
"What's wrong bud you OK?" Nathan asked. He wasn't worried but he usually calmed down by now.  
  
"He still crying?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Yeah I don't know why either." Nathan said.  
  
"Let me see him." Lucas sad extending his arms.  
  
Nathan passed him Ryan who immediately stopped crying.  
  
"Wow don't I feel like the worst dad in the world." Nathan said completely serious.  
  
"Don't sweat it, this kid loves you, you just have been busy."  
  
"But he is my kid and I need to pay more attention to him." Nathan said.  
  
"Well school is over in a week, you can then." Lucas said handing Ryan back to Nathan. He began to cry again.  
  
"Yeah I can't wait." Nathan said looking down at Ryan.  
  
"OK, well why don't you go sleep in the other room I'll watch him tonight, we have exams tomorrow and you are exausted."  
  
"Thanks Luke." Nathan walked into the other room. He got into the bed and looked up at the ceiling. he couldn't fall asleep he just looked into the ceiling again. "I need a break." He said out loud. "This summer is for me and Ryan." After he said that and he seemed to find absolution in it, he fell asleep. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 -  
  
"Yes, finals are over!" Lucas exclaimed as he plopped himself into the car "Now all I have to do is wait for them to mail me my grades."  
  
"Yep." Nathan replied "So what you up to this summer?"  
  
"Me, that's a good question, maybe I will throw a bunch of wild parties since you and Ry are gone."  
  
"OK, just clean up afterward. Oh god I sound like my parents."  
  
"Yep, completely." Lucas joked. "But you know that that isn't a bad thing, some things you did in high school were way to wild."  
  
"Yeah." Nathan replied as he finished buckling Ryan's carseat. "But you know, if you want to join us on our trip this summer you can come."  
  
"I think that's the problem Nathan, I'm around too much, he doesn't really know you anymore and that is my fault."  
  
"No Lucas that is my fault, and I don't want to be gone all summer so that he won't remember you, if you want to come, come, if you have other things planned then hang out here."  
  
"I guess I don't have other things planned, and I'd love to hang with you two all summer."  
  
"Good." he replied "Now drive." He threw a stuffed toy at him.  
  
"Now that is sad, look around, all these things on the floor, we have officially let him run our lives."  
  
"Yep, but you choose to so you're the stupid one"  
  
"Do you want me to leave Nathan was it a hint?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
And he drove home.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
They got to the house to find two surprises on the front step.  
  
"Brooke and Peyton, what the heck are you dong here?" Lucas asked as he climbed out of the car. Both girls had gone to UCLA and neither of the guys had seen them since high school.  
  
"We came home for the summer duh." Brooke said. "Come on over Nathan, you don't need to clean your car." He was leaning into the back seat. "You don't expect us t get in there that easily."  
  
Lucas didn't say anything, neither did Nathan.  
  
"Did I say somethign wrong?" Brooke asked.  
  
Nathan had gotten Ryan out of his car seat and he picked him up.  
  
It was Brooke's turn to be silent.  
  
"Wow, I didn't know you had a child." Peyton said.  
  
"Yeah, he's just about a year now." Nathan replied "His birthday is in three weeks."  
  
"What's his name?" Brooke asked  
  
"Ryan"  
  
"That's a cute name."  
  
"Haley picked it." Nathan replied.  
  
"Oh." she went silent again.  
  
"It's OK."  
  
"So is Haley here?" Peyton asked.  
  
"No, she ran off eight months ago." Nathan replied "she left me him."  
  
"Come on, lets go inside." Lucas said.  
  
They went inside and all sat down. Peyton and Brooke began to play with Ryan. "he's so cute." Brooke said  
  
"Yeah he looks just like you Nathan."  
  
"Well good to know you think I'm cute." Nathan said with a smirk.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way." Peyton replied.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"So what do you guys have planned for the summer?" Brooke asked.  
  
"The three of us are taking a road trip." Lucas said.  
  
"Oh, that's cool, when are you going?"  
  
"Tomorrow, we were going to leave today, but Lucas still needs to pack, it was last minute that he was going to come."  
  
"Oh, kool, then we are probably getting in your way aren't we?" Peyton said.  
  
"No, no problem." Nathan said. "I'll keep you busy while Lucas packs."  
  
"Fine." Lucas said as he got up.  
  
"Helen, school s over for the year and there is somewhere that I think I need to be for a while this summer. I'll call you soon but right now I need to sort things out." Haley said near tears to a friend she had gotten really close to for the last eight and a half months.  
  
"It's OK Haley, I will still have the room for you when you come home." Helen replied as she pulled Haley into a hug. "I'll drive you to the train station."  
  
Nathan Lucas and Ryan were all packed and ready to go, they got all their stuff in the car. "Ready to go Luke?" Nathan said in a happy mood.  
  
"Yep, all ready. But I am choosing the station."  
  
"No way bro, you can listen to your MD player but I am not going to listen to your music." Nathan said with a laugh.  
  
"Nope, I ran out of batteries, and you already made it clear that we aren't stopping until we get to California. 'Except to sleep and gas'" He mocked.  
  
"Fine." Nathan said as he jumped into the drivers seat. Lucas sat down next to him.  
  
Nathan turned to Ryan. "Now starts our boys trip." Nathan laughed.  
  
They drove out of town they didn't stop until they needed gas, they were at the state line "bathroom break." Nathan said as he pulled over. "This one is starting to smell." he took Ryan out of his carseat and took him to the washroom.  
  
he changed his diaper and walked back out to the car. there was Lucas sitting on the hood of the car talking to two girls.  
  
"Hey Luke, ready to go?" Nathan asked as he reached the car.  
  
"Uh, yeah, but first, this is Danielle and Trisha. Girls this is my brother Nathan and his son Ryan"  
  
"Hey ladies." Nathan said.  
  
The girls looked at Ryan. "Aw he's so cute," They exclaimed.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"How old is he?" Asked Danielle.  
  
"He's just about one year, we are taking him to Disneyland for his first birthday."  
  
"Aw that's so cute." Trisha said. "We are going out that way too. But our bus broke down a few miles back."  
  
"Yeah so I think we are stuck here for a while." Danielle said with a hint in her voice.  
  
Lucas looked to Nathan and mouthed 'please?'  
  
"Do you girls want a ride?" Nathan reluctantly asked.  
  
"Really? Are you sure it wouldn't be out of your way?" Asked Danielle.  
  
"No problem, and if you get sick of us, you can take a bus from there." Lucas added.  
  
This should be fun. Nathan thought. "Um, Lucas you want to drive I'm gonna sit in the back with Ryan."  
  
"Sure Nate. trisha you can sit with me."  
  
"Sure Lucas." She replied as she got into the car when he opened the door for her.  
  
"I guess that leaves you with me then?" Danielle said happily.  
  
"yeah." he replied.  
  
"Oh don't sound so unexcited. I don't bite.......much." She replied.  
  
He gave a weird look after she turned around but then went to strapping Ryan into his car seat.  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
Haley had arrived in Tree Hill she drove to Nathan's old house only to find out from Dan that he had moved out and he gave her the new address. he forgot to mention that the guys had gone on a trip. "He should be there." He said with a strange grin.  
  
Dan offered to call him and tell him. he pretended to talk to him, but he was really talking to no one.  
  
"I'm sorry Haley, he doesn't want to see you." Dan lied.  
  
Haley walked up to Nathan's new house. She slipped a letter under the door and had a taxi take her back to the bus station, she didn't want to ruin everything so she just left, without even trying I waited too long she thought. She went back to Helen's that night. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 -  
  
"Haley?" Helen asked as she saw the girl standing in the rain on the doorstep. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I went home but I came back." She began to cry.  
  
"Why was it too hard for you since you lost your baby?" Helen asked sympathetically.  
  
She looked at Helen, "I never lost my baby." She replied.  
  
"What? When you got here you said that you had lost your baby?" Helen asked confused.  
  
"No, I left him with his father, and now I can't go back." Haley replied.  
  
"Why not?" Helen asked.  
  
"Nathan's dad told me his new address and then he called him and told him I was back but Nathan said he didn't want to see me or let me see Ryan so I left a letter at his house and left." Haley replied.  
  
"Why did you leave? And why the change of heart now?" Helen asked.  
  
"I left because I had nothing to give him, and Nathan was rich and he had a high school education and so I decided that Ryan would be better off with him so I left him, there, and I have been wanting to go back for months now but finally when I got the courage to go he didn't want to see me." Haley replied between sobs.  
  
"Hey sweetie it's OK, don't worry you will see him again. Soon this guy Nathan will calm down and you will see your baby again." Helen replied, she didn't think that Haley had a chance if the guy didn't want to see her again, but she wanted to help Haley in any way she could, she was like a sister to her and she didn't want her to get hurt.  
  
Nathan and Lucas were driving through Arkansas with the girls, Lucas was having the time of his life, but Nathan wasn't as interested in hanging out with a couple girls all the way across the country.  
  
Ryan was happy as ever he loved attention and he definetly was getting it. Every time he cried or fussed or even made any type of funny noise the two girls in the car always went "Aw he is so cute." It was getting on Nathan's nerves, although he couldn't deny it.  
  
They were driving on the highway it was getting late. "Do you want to stop Luke?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Well I'm kinda tired but it jsut seems like a waste to stop now." Lucas replied.  
  
"Well between the four of us we could definetly drive through the whole night." Trisha said happily.  
  
"Yeah I'll take the next shift." Nathan replied.  
  
They pulled over easily since no one really was driving other than them they got to the side of the road fast.  
  
They switched seats and so did Trisha and Danielle. "Lucas I swear if you start making out with her with Ryan right there I will pull this car over and kill you." Nathan said.  
  
"Ha ha ha." he replied.  
  
They all got strapped in and Lucas and Trisha started to go to sleep. When Ryan out of nowhere began to babble "he he pwop bwa bwa. Da Da" Nathan swerved the car without he knowing it.  
  
"Did you gus hear that?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Hear what?" Lucas and the girls said. "All I saw was you going to get us killed with your terrible driving."  
  
"Da Da Da Da." Ryan said again.  
  
"See I told you, he said Da Da." Nathan said as he reached back to Ryan and smiled.  
  
"Wow that's so cute." the wo girls said.  
  
"I swear if you say that again," Nathan replied. "Everything he does is cute and we all know that, but we don't have to say it every time."  
  
"Oh OK." Danielle said.  
  
"Actually you know what why don't we get a hotel room." Nathan said. "I want to spend some time with Ryan."  
  
"OK. There's one up there." Lucas replied.  
  
They got rooms and Nathan went into his with Ryan he set him down on the bed, and just sat there next to him.  
  
He gave ryan his toys to play with and he just watched him play. He loved to just watch him. He had come to love him far more than he loved anyone else in the world. Except maybe Haley, but that was over and done with.  
  
After about an hour Ryan fell asleep. Nathan set him down on the bed and he slept on the couch. He refused to sleep in the same bed as Ryan anymore because he had read and seen on tv all those times when parents had suffocated their kids and he wouldn't let that happen.  
  
He took one of the blankets off of the bed and layed down on the couch. he fell asleep thinking about Ryan and Haley and how almost everything in his life had come together perfectly in the last year. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 -  
  
They woke the next morning, Nathan was so tired from just sitting there on the edge of the bed watching Ryan the night before. He woke to Ryan crying then the two of them took a shower together  
  
"Yo Nathan get up." Lucas yelled through the door. "Come on even you can't still be asleep"  
  
Nathan went to the door in a towel he had Ryan wrapped up in anotehr one. "We'll be a minute." he said.  
  
"You OK?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Well let's see my brother made this a not so much boys trip and now it's some party with two girls we don't even know. Come on Luke you can't have actually expected me to want them to come along." Nathan replied.  
  
"Well I'm sorry, but the last seven or eight months of my lfie have been for you and Ryan, not that I'm complaining, but we both just need to have other people around us aside from just Ryan and the team." Lucas replied "You know it too. And I also know that you will never get over Haley if you keep up like this."  
  
"I don't want to get over Haley Lucas, I still love her. I probably always will, but I have given up on seeing her again."  
  
"Then why keep living in that past that won't ever happen. Be happy have fun, do it for Ryan, he knows practically you me a couple guys from the team and the daycare staff. he needs to know more people too you honestly can't think it is good to shelter him from the world."  
  
"I just don't want him tog et hurt like I did, is that so wrong?" Nathan asked near tears.  
  
"No, there is nothing wrong with wanting what's best for your child, but remember, you still have to let him live. Starting now OK?"  
  
"Alright." Nathan said. "So are our driving companions ready to go?"  
  
"Last I checked it was makeup check, so you probably will have enough time to change and get some clothes on the both of you." Lucas replied. "Besides he's fussing."  
  
"Bye Luke see you in a few minutes."  
  
He left, Nathan went back in put Ryan down then got dressed. When he finished getting Ryan dressed he was ready.  
  
They had had a really great trip the rest of the way, Nathan had lightened up a bit but he also ignored any advances Danielle gave to him and Lucas had fun Hanging with Trisha.  
  
They got to California on the forth day of driving.  
  
Nathan couldn't wait to get Ryan into Disneyland, by order of his mother ha had to bring home at least one hundred pictures of the trip. which was the amount that she had brought back when Nathan himself had been a baby.  
  
They went to the Hotel, it was a nice hotel inside of the California adventure park.  
  
"Wow this is nice." Lucas exclaimed. "But I have to sleep on the couch don't I?"  
  
"Well no I'm going to get a cot, you can have your own room and I will sleep on the cot while Ryan sleeps on the bed." Nathan replied.  
  
"Why can't he sleep on the cot, it is smaller?" Lucas asked confused.  
  
"Well I will be more comfortable knowing he can't roll off of the bed."  
  
"I guess yeah smart." Lucas replied walking into on of the bedrooms he loved the veiw, it looked out on the enitre park. he had never been here before but he was a major disney fanatic when he was a kid, he had watched them 24/7 with Haley. Haley, it still hurt him to think of her too, because that night he could have tried to help and get her to stay, but instead he let her get away. He now decided that if he could change that he would. Even though Haley leaving gave him a new relationship with Nathan and Ryan, he would give it all up for Nathan and Ryan to have Haley now, Ryan needed a mom, Nathan needed Her.  
  
"Ready to hit the park?" Nathan asked  
  
"Um sure already, you don't want lunch?"  
  
"Sure that would be fun. I'm kinda hungry and I really would probably puke if I had any more junk food like we did on the trip." nathan Laughed.  
  
"Yeah we really pigged out."  
  
The three of them walked down to the restaurant. Nathan ordered some fries for Ryan and He an Lucas had meals.  
  
"OK I know it is a hard topic for you Nathan but I want to know, do you ever think you will try to find Haley at all?" Lucas asked halfway through the meal.  
  
"Well I know if I do it will be so hard considering she really doesn't want to be found." Nathan replied. "But I really do want to see her again, for him too."  
  
"Yeah, I don't know how hard it would be to have lived without my mom." Lucas said then he sat in a trance as he thought about what it would be like.  
  
"I know, my mom was probably the onyl thing keeping my family stable at all." Nathan laughed it off. "I'm going to go look for her, I've decided it, I will try my hardest to find her when we get home."  
  
"Yeah I can't wait to see her again. First I will tell her how much we all missed her then I will kill her for leaving in the first place." Lucas joked.  
  
"But her leaving wasn't all bad, we never would have gotten along at all, we would have hated each other forever." Nathan replied.  
  
"Now that is true, even worse then because I would have hated you for getting her pregnant then leaving her all alone."  
  
"Yeah that never made sense in the first place I still did that, what made you take pity on me in this situation?" Nathan asked curiously.  
  
"Because in this case you were the so called victim.She left you and you had no idea what to do. So I made a desion, was my rival with you that important, or was making sure you and Ryan were OK more important. In the end you can guess what won."  
  
"Yeah thanks for that Luke, I would have not made it without you at all. Especially not when we were in court, I would have died without you. If we had even survived long enough to get to court." Nathan replied.  
  
"hey, that's true, but in the end I would have been able to see him without having to put up with you, damn was I dumb."  
  
"Don't swear around Ryan, wow I totally sound like the overprotective dad."  
  
"You are."  
  
The three finished up their meals, well Ryan just sorta picked at his and threw it, but Lucas and Nathan had finished actually eating. They went out to explore the park. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
Nathan and Lucas went to the park. "So where would you like to go?" Lucas asked  
  
"Um anywhere with kids rides." Nathan replied "We can't really take him on the rollercoaster. But if you want to do all those rides we'd love to watch."  
  
"Well this is Ryan's day." Lucas replied.  
  
"Well no it is a guys summer. You can do what you want, let's go over to that huge rollercoaster." Nathan replied.  
  
Lucas got on Nathan and Ryan stood at the side. "Look kiddo, there's uncle Lucas." He whispered as he pointed to Lucas who was in the coaster at the bottom of a huge hill.  
  
Lucas waved to him but just as he began to wave a voice came on and said "Blast in five four three two one." Then the rollercoaster took off. Nathan laughed at Lucas's face.  
  
After a few minutes Lucas came off. "How was it." Nathan asked with a smile. He handed Lucas a fussing Ryan. "You watch him as I go on now, that looked way to fun to miss."  
  
He got onto the rollercoaster afterward. he was ready for the first start of the rollercoaster unlike Lucas. He waved to Ryan and Lucas.  
  
After he got off. He decided they should do something for Ryan now. "Let's take him to the carousel over there." He said.  
  
The three of them walked over. Nathan took Ryan onto it while Lucas was watching taking pictures. He lifted Ryan up and he sat up on a dolphin shaped seat. Nathan held him in place. He had a blast.  
  
When they got off Nathan handed Ryan to Lucas again. "Where to now?"  
  
"I don't know, les go to this brother bear thing for Ryan, he can walk pretty good now, you can just go up with him."  
  
"No you go and take him up." Nathan replied. "I'll take a break."  
  
He stood at the bottom watching Ryan and Lucas walk around. Ryan was actually really good at walking now, Lucas only had to hold his hands on the bridges.  
  
he came down and he held his hands up for Nathan to pick him up.  
  
"You are way too spoiled kiddo, why don't we go get you a stroller before daddy's arm's fall off." He continued to hold his hands up to be held. "No buddy you can walk for a while." He said shaking his head.  
  
They walked for a few minutes but Ryan howled. "Bud come on you need to walk a bit." Nathan said.  
  
He continued to bawl. Lucas gave in and picked him up. "So you're the culprit who baby's him so much." Nathan laughed.  
  
"I dunno I wasn't the one who lets him sleep in a king sized bed while I slept on a cot."  
  
"Good point." Nathan replied.  
  
They walked for a little while longer, they came to near the front. "Would you guys like a picture of the family?" One guy asked.  
  
"Huh?" Nathan asked.  
  
"You two and your kid would you like a picture."  
  
"Oh, uh Lucas you want a picture?" Nathan asked completely oblivious.  
  
"Sure I'd love to get a picture with my brother and nephew." he said sarcastically. the photographer went completely red.  
  
Nathan finally got it. They did end up getting a picture.  
  
The continued walking. After getting a stroller they went up to the place where the Aladdin and Jasmine show was on. "Lets go watch."  
  
they watched the show, Ryan loved every minute of their day at the California Adventure park.  
  
"We have to do Disneyland Tomorrow." Nathan said. "It sucks though, cause there are so many older rides now that me and you can do, but this is for him."  
  
"Yeah, but you know, he is asleep, we could have him taken to a childcare thing at maybe the hotel when it gets too late, then we can do the park for all the other rides."  
  
"We could, there is childcare at the hotel. Yeah, lets he'll be sleeping anyway."  
  
"He already is." Lucas laughed.  
  
They brought him to the childcare place then the two of them went out for the evening.  
  
They went for dinner on Paradise pier. After that they headed to the Maliboomer, a ride that shoots you right up 180 feet, then you drop back down. "It's kinda like the drop of fear." Nathan said. "I was one of those at a carnival thing once."  
  
"Yeah me too. Let's do it."  
  
The two did that ride, then they headed over to the Grizzly River run, whch they got soaked on, and decided to head back to the hotel or they would freeze, even though it was a very warm night.  
  
"I don't like being wet." Lucas said.  
  
"Me either." And they went to the hotel for the night. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 -  
  
Ryan began to cry around seven o'clock.  
  
"Hey bud. What are you doing up so early?" Nathan asked.  
  
He kept fussing. But when Nathan picked him up he became happy again.  
  
Today the guys decided they would do the Disneyland park instead of California adventure.  
  
When they got into park that morning around ten they decided to go to the special Plaza Inn breakfast where they ate with some of the Disney characters.  
  
After the breakfast was over the guys decided to go on the Storybook Land boat ride. Ryan loved it, he kept trying to wrestle out of Nathan arms and reach out to grab the scenery.  
  
After the Storybook Land ride they went on It's a Small World, but unfortunately this one sort of scared Ryan and he buried himself into Lucas' chest.  
  
"It's OK kiddo it's OK," He kept whispering but he wouldn' calm down he clung like mad to Lucas' shirt. By the time they were done the ride he had stretched his shirt into a weird wrinkled mess.  
  
"Maybe we should get him some lunch or a snack to try and calm him down, but I also think those little doll things scared the heck out of him." Nathan said. "We may have scarred him for life."  
  
"Yeah you're probably right here you want to take him?" Lucas asked handing him Ryan.  
  
"Thanks." He said taking the child.  
  
After lunch the two of them took Ryan put out the blanket and watched the parade.  
  
During it Ryan was dazzled by the show he was a major Disney kid and he had watched all of his new ones and Nathan's old Disney originals. The three of them had a great afternoon.  
  
By the end of the day Ryan's favorite ride became Peter Pan's Flight. it wasn't really the best ride for babies, but the people running it let him on and he had a blast.  
  
The rest of the trip was great the three guys never had been closer than they became on that trip.  
  
As they got their stuff ready to go home that morning none of them wanted to leave, but they knew they had to.  
  
They were completely ready to leave, Ryan was strapped into his car-seat and Nathan and Lucas were ready to get into the car.  
  
"Hey Nate." Lucas said.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for all those times I doubted you as a dad and all those times I told Haley she was too good for you. And to say that i'm glad you wanted me to come on this trip with you two, I've had a blast and i really am glad me and you are brothers and that Ryan was what made us come together as brothers."  
  
"Hey, no hard feelings for everything and I am glad you wanted to be a part of Ryan's life, I don't think this year would have been this fun, or this possible without you. Besides all those problems we have had before we have already dealt with that it's all OK, everything is fine."  
  
"Thanks Nate,"  
  
"Yeah and thank you."  
  
The two of them got into the car and were ready for the trip home.  
  
They arrived home five days later. They decided they should stop off at Karen and Keith's and Nathan's parents homes first.  
  
"Hey mom!" Lucas called as he entered the cafe.  
  
"Hey Lucas, how was the trip." She asked happily.  
  
"Oh we had a blast, Ryan had the time of his life. Nathan and I are as close as ever and we are finally home." Lucas replied happily as he sat down on a stool.  
  
"Hey Mrs. Scott uncle Keith." Nathan said as he stepped into the door with Ryan who was wearing his little mickey ears.  
  
"Nathan, you know I don't answer to Mrs. Scott call me Karen." Karen said as she kept washing the counter.  
  
"OK hi Karen."  
  
"So how is the little guy doing." Keith asked as he went over to see Ryan.  
  
"The ears are adorable." Karen added as she came up to him too.  
  
"Yeah but he hates wearing them so before he ruins them I'm going to take them off." Nathan laughed.  
  
They had a nice talk for an hour or so before the guys headed to go see Deb, and Dan.  
  
"Hey mom." Nathan said as he walked into the door.  
  
"hey, how's my grandson, did you bring him home in one piece?"  
  
"Yeah mom, he's fine Lucas is bringing him in." Nathan replied.  
  
"Oh hey Lucas." Deb said as Lucas walked in holding Ryan. "Oh look at the little ears." The boys had put the little ears back onto Ryan to show Nathan's parents.  
  
"But we need to take them off he hates them." Lucas said as he pulled them off. "We just wanted you to see them."  
  
"Hey boys." Dan said putting on a nice face.  
  
"hey dad." Nathan said a little confused, sense when was he nice.  
  
"How was the trip?" He asked.  
  
"We had a blast. Ryan loved it." Nathan replied.  
  
"I'm glad but wow he is so big now." Dan said.  
  
"yeah you haven't seen him for a little while. Oh and he said his first words on the trip down." Nathan said proudly.  
  
"Did he?" Deb asked happily.  
  
"Yeah, he said Dada." Lucas said. "then when he said it Nathan almost drove us off the road."  
  
"Good job son." Dan said.  
  
"Yeah, oops." Nathan said happily. "Dad want to come talk to me in the other room?"  
  
"Sure." He replied.  
  
"OK what's going on dad, you aren't this nice." Nathan asked as he closed the door.  
  
"I just decided that I don't know my son anymore, you have changed so much in the last year, and I also didn't ever get to know my grandson, and i'm sorry for that." He replied.  
  
"So am I." Nathan replied. "but let's go out with Mom and Lucas."  
  
"OK."  
  
"Wait, and why are you being so nice to Lucas?"  
  
"Because he has been there for you in the last year and I am glad for that."  
  
Nathan couldn't figure out what was with his dad, but it wasn't bad, so he followed.  
  
they talked there for another hour then the guys headed home it was dark by then, so they just threw their stuff by the door and went right to bed.  
  
"Night Lucas. tomorrow we can get back to the regular world."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
And both of them crashed. Neither had no idea that there was a letter that could change their lives sitting by the door. 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 -  
  
"Nathan, you better get up." Lucas said the next morning, he had a bunch of mail in his hand.  
  
"What is it?" Nathan asked tired.  
  
"There is a letter here you will really want to read?"  
  
"OK." Nathan took the letter from Lucas. The front of it Said  
  
Nathan and Ryan.  
  
"Nobody knows about Ryan aside from close relatives and friends." Lucas said. "I think it's from Haley."  
  
"Yeah the lettering looks the same." Nathan replied. he carefully ripped open the paper and read it.  
  
Dear Nathan, and Ryan.  
  
I came back to Tree Hill to see the two of you, but when I came to your old house I found out that you didn't want to see me. I don't blame you at all, I made the biggest mistake of my life when I left the two of you.  
  
Nathan, more than ever I still love you. You have been an amazing part of my life and I will never forget that. I also wanted to tell you right now that I only left because you had everything to offer him, and I had nothing, I chose to tell you this now so that you can tell Ryan i the future if you ever want to, or if he ever wants to know.  
  
I won't come back to mess up your life ever again, I just want you to tell our son that his mommy will always love him no matter how far away and non existent I am.  
  
If you feel up to it can you give some information to all the people back in Tree Hill that have had an impact on my life.  
  
Lucas: You have been a wonderful friend for years of my life, I will never find a new best friend, I don't need one. I will always remember all the times you let me cry on your shoulder and all the times you got me out of bad situations. You are amazing.  
  
Peyton: We didn't become friends for too long but I will never forget the changes you added to my life, you have this amazing vibe that is a wonderful thing for anyone. I luv ya girl.  
  
Brooke: what can I say about you Brooke, you are a great friend, I love all the times we had fun together, and even though we got off to a rough start, I will never forget the times we spent together.  
  
Karen: You and Lucas helped me more than anyone else over the last few months before I left, I love you a lot and you are like a second mom to me, you are wonderful.  
  
Deb: First I am sorry for the position I put your son and your family in, I should never have left and I really didn't want to but I didn't know any other way.  
  
Thank you for passing on all these messages for me Nathan and I was wondering if it was too out of your way, could you please send a copy of a picture of Ryan to my parents, they would like to see him.  
  
Thank you for everything, but thank you most of all for giving Ryan the care he needed for the time I haven't been here.  
  
Haley.  
  
Nathan handed the paper to Lucas, he read it over and sighed. "She doesn't realize that we both want her here more than she knows."  
  
"Yeah, but how did she come to the idea that I didn't want to see her?" Nathan asked.  
  
He read it over again, then it hit him, Dan, she had gone to his old home, he must have talked to someone to get this new address, and he wrote a note to his mother so it must have been Dan.  
  
"Dan." He said out load. "He told her I didn't want to see her, there is no other option. I am going over there right now, I'm going to kill him."  
  
"Wait Nathan no don't go yet, Ryan has an appointment at the doctor's remember, we made the plan to go the day after we got home because you had wanted to go before we left but you couldn't get a chance."  
  
"Right, we will kill him after we get back." Nathan replied.  
  
They took Ryan to the doctors but they weren't going to get the chance to go and kill Dan that day. When they arrived at the doctor, he was acting strange after examining Ryan for a moment, he told the two of them to take him to the hospital immediately, but he wouldn't say why, Nathan and Lucas of course did right away. They were scared to death both of them.  
  
When they got to the hospital a doctor was waiting for them, the physician had already called ahead.  
  
The man took Ryan to an examination room. Nathan and Lucas waited outside.  
  
The doctor returned a half an hour later. "Mr. Scott." he said.  
  
"Yes?" Nathan asked standing up.  
  
"Your doctor's hunch was right, there is something seriously wrong with your son. Ryan is suffering from the disease Osteosarcoma, or Bone Cancer, I don't want to worry you but this disease is common in children, but not as young as Ryan. He is the youngest of the patients with this that I have treated ever. I'm going to need you and any family of the child to have a test done to see if you can offer a bone marrow transplant for him."  
  
Nathan's world stopped, everything he had ever known just collapsed in that instant. it was like you hear it is like to die, your whole life just flashed by his eyes, he remembered everything he had experienced with Ryan, this was worse than anything.  
  
Lucas brought his brother back to reality. "Nathan it's OK he will be fine, right now me and you just need to have the test done so we can help him."  
  
Nathan did, neither were a match at all. Nor was Dan Deb or Keith. Nathan and Lucas were not to see Ryan that day, he was put in a room with a glass screen to see him in.  
  
"I would give anything in my life to be the one in that room right now, and let him be out here. Lucas, more than ever we need to find Haley right now."  
  
"Yeah, I know. Wait, in the letter it said give a picture to her parents right because they want to see him, I'll bet Haley has had contact with her parents at one point in time at least." Lucas said with a smile.  
  
Both boys bolted for Haley's parents house. Nathan knocked on the door when he got there. "Mr. James." He said as he opened the door. "You may not remember me I am Nathan Scott-"  
  
"Not remember you boy? I will never forget you, you are the boy who got Haley pregnant and ruined her life, you have no business being here." He went to slam the door in Nathan's face but Lucas had stuck his foot in the way. "Lucas, move your foot." Mr. James commanded.  
  
"No I can't we need your help." Lucas said.  
  
"I do not want to help that one here." He replied eying Nathan.  
  
"We need to get a hold of haley, has she had contact with you?" Nathan asked.  
  
"No." he said quickly, too quickly.  
  
"Ryan is sick." Luca said.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"He has bone cancer, we need help, Haley may be the only donor and if we can't get a hold of her he will die." Nathan said, tears were filling his eyes, not until that moment had Nathan really thought or said the words that he might lose his little boy.  
  
"We have not talked to her." He replied coldly.  
  
"Yes I have." Haley's mom said, she had just came around the corner. "She called me a few months ago and since then we have been sending letters, she has not had contact with another single person here in Tree Hill." She replied. "I will get you the number."  
  
She came a few minutes later with a paper containing a number.  
  
Nathan pulled out his phone and dialed as soon as they got to the car on their way back to the hospital so that Mrs. and Mr. James could test if they were a match.  
  
He kept trying since the phone was busy. He tried again after they found out that neither of her parents were a match.  
  
"Hello?" Said a voice of a young child on the other end.  
  
"Is Ms James there?" Nathan asked.  
  
"No there is no one named James here." And the line went dead.  
  
"baby who was that?" Helen asked.  
  
"Some guy asking for a James." She replied.  
  
"Sweetie, James is Haley's last name." Helen replied she grabbed the phone and pressed 69  
  
"Oops," Hilary said and then ran off.  
  
"This number you have dialed has a long distance charge, will you continue? If so press 1." A recorded message asked.  
  
Helen pressed 1.  
  
"Hello?" Nathan asked from the other end.  
  
"Hello, this is Helen Anderson did you just call my house by any chance, and were hung up on by a young girl?" Helen asked.  
  
"Yes, is there a Haley James there?" Nathan asked hopefully.  
  
"Hold on. Haley phone!" Helen replied.  
  
"Hello?" haley asked from another phone.  
  
"Haley, it's Nathan." He said.  
  
"What? How did you get my number?" Haley asked shocked.  
  
"Your mother gave it to me." Nathan replied.  
  
"She wasn't supposed to tell." Haley said aggravated.  
  
"She had to."  
  
"Why, you know what never mind that Nathan, why the heck are you calling me anyway you don't want to see me, you obviously didn't care enough when you got the letter to try and find me then."  
  
"I didn't even get the letter until today, Lucas and I were in California. But that is besides the point."  
  
"No it isn't Nathan, I don't want to hear you tell me i messed up and that I am a jerk for leaving you I can't take that."  
  
"Haley, shut up for a minute."  
  
"Excuse me? I have a complete right to hang up on you right now, you would deserve-"  
  
"Ryan is sick!" Nathan yelled.  
  
"What?" Haley asked.  
  
"He has bone cancer, Lucas or I or my parents or your's are not a match, none of us, and you are our last hope, Haley you have to come out here."  
  
"I am on the next plane out." She said as she hung up the phone.  
  
Nathan sighed, please let her be a match.  
  
It was three days before Haley got a flight. She had been put on stand-by, and since Tree Hill flight's weren't common she had been waiting forever.  
  
She arrived in Tree Hill at midnight on the third day. She found Deb and Karen waiting for her.  
  
They rushed to the hospital, by then it was one in the morning on the fourth day. There they met up with Dan, Keith, and her parents.  
  
Everyone except Lucas and Nathan were there, their parents had forced them to go home because they had been there for four days straight and they needed rest.  
  
Ryan had been brought in right before things started to get bad, he had gotten sicker in the last few days.  
  
"Mrs.James?" Asked a nurse. "Ryan's , mother?"  
  
"Yes." Haley replied.  
  
She was taken in immediately to be tested if she was a match.  
  
Nathan and Lucas came back to the hospital only an hour later, because neither of them could get even an ounce of rest, it wasn't working.  
  
"Hi." Nathan said to Haley, "Are you a match?"  
  
"They don't know yet." She replied.  
  
"How are you?" he asked.  
  
"Right now, or how have I been before I found out?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"Right now I want to die, I have never been this worried ever in my life, I wish it had been me."  
  
"I said the exact same thing." Nathan replied.  
  
"But in general since I came back here and found out you didn't want to see me or me to see Ryan I have been trying to move on."  
  
"I never said I didn't want to see you." Nathan replied.  
  
"Dan called you and said you wanted me to go away."  
  
"I figured that out a few days ago, and I wanted to kill him, but now, that seems so un-important."  
  
"Yeah." Haley began to cry again, just as she had done numerous times since that night."  
  
"Hey, don't worry he will be OK don't worry. If you aren't a match, the doctors will try and find a donor elsewhere. he will be fine Ryan will be OK."  
  
"I am so sorry Nathan for everything."  
  
"Don't, you leaving was in one way, the best thing of my life, I never have been happier that I have when I became a father."  
  
She cried even harder. "But I am still so sorry, you could have still done it all with me here."  
  
"I wouldn't have though, and I never would have become brothers with Lucas, you did all that and now we won't let you leave ever again."  
  
"Really? You don't want me to leave?"  
  
"No, I don't." Nathan replied.  
  
She hugged him and cried on his shoulder.  
  
"Mrs. James, Everyone, You are a match."  
  
Everyone cheered. Nathan began to cry of happiness. So did Lucas, Deb, and Karen.  
  
She was taken to go do the procedure. When she came back out they were going to go take Ryan to surgery.  
  
Nathan sat down with haley. "How you feeling?" He asked.  
  
"Fine. Never better." She replied.  
  
"Can I ask you something?" He asked.  
  
"Well you can ask me another thing." She replied.  
  
"Did you really mean with you said in the letter, that you still love me?" She sat up and for the first time in over a year, looked him in the eyes. She fell into the pools of blue his eyes always offered.  
  
"Yes, every minute of my life I think about how much I love you, I've tried to get over you, but it is impossible."  
  
"Don't try anymore." He whispered, but most of the people in the group heard.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't try anymore, I love you as much as you love me, I'm sure of it." He kissed her lightly, she definitely wasn't expecting it, but she didn't back out of it either.  
  
After a few minutes of talking about what had gone on in the last few months for both of them. Haley and Nathan fell asleep for the first time, her head leaning on his shoulder, and his head resting on her head. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 -  
  
"Mr. And Mrs. Scott?" Asked a nurse.  
  
"Huh?" Nathan asked, suddenyl he realized where was was. "Oh right, Haley, wake up."  
  
"Give me five more minutes kiddo." Haley replied.  
  
"Haley it's Nathan."  
  
"Right right right, sorry the kids at Helen's used to wake me up. Yes?" She turned to the nurse.  
  
"Mr and Mrs James, your son is going to be fine, he is in recovery right now, but all went well in the surgery, only a few minor set backs. He is perfectly fine."  
  
"Thank you." Nathan said because Haley was so happy she had become speechless.  
  
"Yes." The nurse replied but as she began to walk away Nathan stopped her.  
  
"Um ma'm, um why wasn't the cancer found before, he was in here only a few months ago for a broken arm?"  
  
"What? Ryan broke his arm?" Haley was suddenly able to talk again.  
  
"Yeah a couple of months ago." Nathan replied, "But it was all fine after we worked with it, I'll tell you about it later, anyway ma'am?"  
  
"Sir I am actually not aware why it was never noticed before about the cancer, but I don't mean to make you sound like a bad person but right now isn't it most important that your son is OK?"  
  
"Yes, yes of course, now that I know he is alright I just want to know details." Nathan replied.  
  
"I understand, if you want me to, I can look into it?" The nurse asked.  
  
"No, that's alright when can we see him?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"Um, well right now if you want to, but only two at a time." She replied.  
  
"Haley want to come in with me?" Nathan asked.  
  
Haley looked around the room. "No Lucas go in, you two have been there for him in the last year and from what I presume, he loves both of you."  
  
"Are you sure Haley he is your son?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Go Lucas, you have been like a second father to him," Haley replied, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
Nathan and Lucas went in.  
  
"Hey buddy." Nathan said, he began to tear. "How you doing?"  
  
He smiled happily and babbled nonstop.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." Lucas laughed.  
  
After a little while of the two of them the nurse let Haley go in also because she was so restless in the hallway.  
  
"Hey guys." Haley said as she came in slowly.  
  
"Hey look Ryan, it's mommy." Nathan said looking up at Haley.  
  
When she saw him she began to cry and the entire last nine months of her life hit her, she hadn't seen any of it, his first steps, his first words, his first anything, it made her cry.  
  
"Hey, hales what's wrong?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Oh my gosh, I hate myself, these last nine months I was off being a normal college student while Nathan you came in and took care of my responisibility when i pushed it on you, and Lucas, you helped out when you were completely not obligated. You guys are great and I really don't know where I would be without you. You guys are great dads to him and I really don't know what to say."  
  
Nathan and Lucas looked at each other. After an awkward silence the two guys burst into laughs. "Haley Haley Haley, if you had been here in the last few months you probably would have had a restraining order against us." Nathan laughed.  
  
"Why?" Haley asked.  
  
"Well, I somehow got his arm broken, was arrested and had him taken away from me because I was accused of kidnapping him because I wasn't on the birth certificate, I almost got him into a car crash, and at Disneyland, we left him with a nanny service so we could go have fun. We definetely aren't that great." Nathan said between laughs.  
  
"Ok so where do I go to get a resraining order?" Haley joked.  
  
"Well go to the building next door, on the thirteenth floor and it is the door next to complaints about loud dogs. The door reads Bad Dad's." Lucas joked.  
  
"Oh right." She laughed, then she turned her attention back over to Ryan, she missed him so much and she wanted to be there forever for him.  
  
She sat down on a chair next to Nathan then the three of them sat and jsut watched him for hours. 


	16. Chapter 16, THE END

Chapter 16 -  
  
Ryan was ome again within a month, Haley had been convinced to transfer and continue school back home. She Ryan and Nathan went to Helen's to say good bye and Helen wanted to meet Ryan.  
  
"Helen, I'm back." Haley called as she got into the door.  
  
"Haley Haley Haley!" Hilary called as she ran to the door, followed by Henry.  
  
"Hey guys. How are you two. Have you grown since I last saw you?" Haley joked.  
  
"I dunno, mommy have we grown?"  
  
"Maybe, we can measure later." Helen said as she appeared at the door. "Well hello, you must be Nathan, I've definetetly heard my fair share about you, I'm Helen."  
  
"Hi," Nathan extended his hand and shook hers.  
  
"So this is my baby boy Ryan." Haley said happily.  
  
"Oh Haley, he's adorable, but he loks nothing like you." Helen joked.  
  
"Well he took after his father's side of the family which may or may not be a good thing."  
  
"Thanks." Nathan laughed.  
  
"So how old is he?" Helen asked.  
  
"He is a year and four weeks." Haley replied.  
  
"Wow, he is adorable." Helen repeated. "A little restelss but adorable."  
  
"Yeah, he isn't quite used to having this new person around him, but he is growing a little closer to her." Nathan replied. "Want me to take him?" Nathan asked.  
  
"No you have had nine months of him to yourself, I want to hold him." Haley replied. Then she noticed his nose had started to run. "You know, on second thought, he is daddy's little guy." She handed Nathan his son.  
  
"Now I get him." Nathan joked looking at Helen who also laughed.  
  
"Come in for some coffee." Helen said, closing the door behind him.  
  
Nathan and Haley spent the night over there then drove home first thing in the morning. It was hard on Haley Helen and the kids, but Haley promised she would visit soon.  
  
They got home late that evening. Haley had moved in with Nathan Lucas and Ryan. On the day that Haley was moving the rest of her stuff in a really importan discussion had to be had.  
  
"OK, so Nate, Hales, I love both of you and Ryan so much and I love spending all this time with you guys but I've come to the decision that it is time I move out, you three need to start off as a family and I would feel left out, not that I don't want to be here with you guys and Ryan I just don't think it is right."  
  
"OK Lucas, first of all, shut up." Haley said.  
  
"Sorry what?" Lucas asked confused.  
  
"Shut up, you are not leaving, sure we are a family now, but you are also family and a great uncle to Ryan, if you ever choose to leave it better be on better terms than you don't think we want you here, we love you guy and come on, where on earth would you go?" She asked.  
  
"Well back home most likely."  
  
"No, you are going to stay here, Ryan needs you." Nathan said. "So don't even think about it."  
  
"Alright then, now that that is settled." Lucas said a little shocked at the reaction.  
  
Haley had settled in great over the next few weeks she loved every minute she had back in Tree Hill and she loved every minute wit her boys, all three of them.  
  
Over the next few years the three of them lived together throughout college, but Lucas did eventually move out because he was offered the chance to play for the Toronto Raptors up in Canada and he wasn't going to pass that up.  
  
Haley became a teacher after university, she had never really came across the career idea until she was told how well she worked with children, which should have been obvious since she was a great mom.  
  
Ryan grew up to be so much like Nathan and Lucas, it was almost like Haley was growing up with Lucas all over again. Ryan always his daddy's son through and through, and everyday Haley watched Nathan grow to be even less like his dad all the time.  
  
In the end Nathan and Haley were married when Ryan was five years old in a nice little beach ceremony off the coast of California, the families favorite vacation spot.  
  
As he grew up Ryan always knew the story of his mom and dad and how she had left. He also knew everything that had happened to him in all those years, from his father's arrest over him, to his first trip to his favorite holiday spot in the world. And even though he never did know why, he always figured that things were happier this way, and they all knew if they could do it all over again, they would, every last bit of it. 


End file.
